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Credit: AP

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli, right, speaks during a hockey news conference in Boston today where it was announced head coach Claude Julien, left, was granted a long-term contract extension.

Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli formally announced the multi-year contract extension for head coach Claude Julien in a press conference this afternoon at the Garden (right, AP photo). Julien, 52, has coached the B's for five seasons, and the club reached the playoffs each season -- going all the way to the Stanley Cup 14 months ago. The term of the deal was not announced. But if the new pact is, like his first two in Boston, three years, it would lock him up through the 2015-16 season. Julien has one year left on his current contract, before the new years kick in.

"When we made the commitment to try and keep the core of this team together following our Cup win, we embarked on signing some key players before free agency," said Chiarelli. "We feel we've come a long way toward keeping the critical mass together for this team, because we feel it's a strong team and continues to be a strong team. One of the core components in this critical mass is sitting beside me, our coach, Claude Julien.

"Over his tenure here, he's shown the ability to adapt. He's had a very, very disciplined team -- which is a testament to his coaching. At the same time, it is a tough team. That's a difficult balance to maintain and he's been able to do that with success.

"We have the ability to score and to defend. All these areas, I'm very happy with. Again, it's a testament to Claude and his ability to adapt and change when he sees the game trending in certain ways."

Julien, who has already coached the third most games in team history (410; 228-132-50 record), said he is delighted to know he'll be remaining with the organization for several more years.